EP2162295A1

EP2162295A1 - Security document in the form of a booklet, with an additional page revealing hidden information

Info

Publication number: EP2162295A1
Application number: EP08774626A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sophie Lieber; Florian Demaimay; Xavier Borde
Original assignee: Oberthur Technologies SA
Current assignee: Idemia France SAS
Priority date: 2007-07-06
Filing date: 2008-07-02
Publication date: 2010-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 2028-07-02
Also published as: WO2009007282A1; FR2918311A1; ES2590338T3; FR2918311B1; EP2162295B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a security document which has the form of a booklet (1), such as a passport, and which comprises at least one data page (3, 5) on which is presented so-called "personal" data (30, 30'), that is, data specific to its bearer, and in which at least a part of this data incorporates at least one item of hidden information (I, I') that is not discernible to the naked eye, or "hidden element", this booklet (1) comprising an additional page (6) which is as one with the latter and of which at least one area is translucent or transparent, in this area being incorporated at least one means (60, 60') of revealing said hidden information (I, I'), this additional page (6) making it possible, by pressing it against said data page (3, 5), to read through said zone, said hidden information (I, I'), with no external device and/or added energy. It is characterized in that said additional page (6) also comprises information (8) at least partially reproducing said personal data (30, 30'), on one of its faces (on the back or on the front) or both faces, covering or not all or part of said revelation means (60, 60').

Description

SECURITY DOCUMENT IN FORM OF BOOKLET, WITH AN ADDITIONAL PAGE REVELATION OF A HIDDEN INFORMATION

The present invention is in the field of security documents comprising so-called "personal" data, that is to say, specific to their carrier and which are in the form of a booklet. These include documents consisting of passports. The personal data specific to the bearer mentioned above are for example his photograph, the patronymic mentions, relative to his names, first names, address, sex, etc.

In the field of passports, the fight against attempts at falsification and counterfeiting is the subject of development of ever more advanced devices. This responds to a permanent need to reinforce the security level of these documents.

Recently, the introduction of electronic components in passports reflects this need for technical complexity. However, the checks mainly carried out, called "first levels" or "first lines", require the development of security that can be controlled directly by the competent authority, without the use of external means, that is to say without authenticating apparatus or equipment.

In the area mentioned here, the data page of a passport is the most sensitive because it contains personal data (photo, name, first name, date of birth ...) and variable data (passport number, date of rescue ...).

This page also contains lines called "OCR" readable by optical equipment. For this reason, it is also called "MRP" page (for "Machine Readable Page"). The most widespread fraudulent practice is not to carry out a complete counterfeit of the passport, which proves to be laborious and complex for a result often easily detectable by the authorities, but to falsify the personal data on an authentic passport (most often stolen at its legal owner) or to carry out a fraudulent customization on a stolen blank passport booklet, the latter case being nonetheless rarer.

In order to better secure the data page, the most common method is to protect it with a transparent film. This security film, commonly called protective laminate or security adhesive, is cold or hot glued on this page, after customization thereof. The main developments made on these security films are to improve the adhesion of the film on the page and to secure it by incorporating security means (diffractive elements, security inks, embrittlement ...).

However, this solution is not satisfactory because the detachment of the security film can be obtained more or less easily by different techniques. Personal and variable data are then accessible for forgery. Finally, either the security film is repositioned, or it is replaced by a copy of the latter, more or less well imitated.

To make copying the security film more and more difficult, manufacturers have incorporated a large number of security features. However, this improvement is often harmful or even perfectly counterproductive in cases where the protective film is taken off the data page, without being damaged. Indeed, in this case, after falsification of personal and variable data, the security film is repositioned. Thus, during a control, the complexity of the security film (by the presence of numerous security features) paradoxically makes it more difficult to detect false data by hindering the visibility of the data alterations and thereby misleading the control authorities who authenticate the security film and not the data listed below.

There are, of course, security developments that make it possible to authenticate variable personal data and to verify that it has not been tampered with. Thus, it is known to incorporate hidden information, that is to say, not discernible to the naked eye. This is for example a hidden or scrambled message, a digital watermark, a plotter, etc.

These solutions increase the level of security of the variable data but require the use of means of external controls which the authorities which carry out checks in ¹ level, are often lacking.

A security document is known that integrates in its structure the means for the decoding of hidden information, without requiring the use of external control means. This document is in the form of a booklet. It comprises at least one page of data on which are present so-called "personal" data, ie specific to its holder, and at least part of which includes at least hidden information that is not discernible to the eye bare. This booklet further comprises an additional page which is integral with the latter and of which at least one area is translucent or transparent, in this area being incorporated means for revealing said hidden information, this additional page allowing, by pressing against said page of data, to read through said zone, said hidden information, this without device and / or external energy input (s).

Such a technical solution is therefore interesting since it proposes to integrate directly in the security document the tools that allow the authentication of personal data that are printed on said data page.

The present invention aims to improve this document, by further improving the security tools incorporated therein, to make the task of a potential counterfeiter particularly difficult.

Thus, the present invention relates to a security document in the form of a booklet, such as a passport, and which includes at least one page of data on which are present data called "personal", ie specific to its holder, and at least part of which includes at least one hidden information that is not discernible to the naked eye, or "hidden element", this booklet having an additional page that is integral with the latter and at least a zone is translucent or transparent, in this zone being incorporated at least one means of revealing said hidden information, this additional page allowing, by pressing it against said data page, to read through said zone, said hidden information, this without device and / or external energy supply (s). This document is remarkable in that said additional page also includes information at least partially reproducing said personal data, on one of its faces (on the back or on the front) or on both sides, covering or not all or part of said means. of revelation.

Thus, if a fraudster modifies the personal data of the data page, he must therefore modify the structure of the additional page and especially the means of disclosure and the information reproducing the personal data, if he wants to achieve a false or a non-discernible copy.

Under these conditions, the risk of falsification and counterfeiting are significantly reduced. Throughout this application, "personal data" means any information relating to the identity of the bearer of the document, whether this information is in the form of an image (for example, his photograph) or a legible message (eg his name). Moreover, it is understood by "fact bodies", the fact that said additional page is an integral part of the booklet, so any attempt to separate this page of the booklet would result in a degradation of said book.

According to other advantageous and nonlimiting features:

said information is formed using a laser beam, by superficial or core alteration of said page, or by perforation or micro-perforation thereof;

the information is printed, in particular by laser printing or inkjet printing;

said information reproduces at least the part of the personal data which integrates said hidden element;

- the entire additional page is transparent or translucent;

said revealing means occupies all or part of the surface of said additional page;

at least two different means of revelation are combined in the same location of said additional page and are able to reveal at least two identical or different hidden information in the same area of the data page;

it comprises two pages of data, whose personal data are on their opposite faces, and each of these pages integrates at least one hidden information that is not discernible to the naked eye, said additional page comprising at least two means of disclosure, one first means being able to reveal the hidden information associated with one of said pages when it is pressed against it, while the second means is able to reveal the hidden information associated with the other page when it is pressed against it; said revelation means are different;

said revealing means is chosen from the following means:

. a line-screen network capable of revealing information hidden by the steganography technique;

. a dot-matrix network capable of revealing information hidden by the steganography technique; . a polarizing filter containing chiral molecules or liquid crystals;

. a color filter interfering with the color (s) with which said hidden information is formed. said line network is printed, or made in relief, thus forming a lenticular network;

said dot-screen network is printed or perforated;

said additional page furthermore comprises at least one authentication and security means independent of the identity of the bearer, and which may or may not be in relation with the issuing authority;

said authentication means is made by printing, variable or fixed, on one of the faces (on the back or on the front) or on both sides of the additional page, and covers or not all or part of said revealing means ;

said authentication means is produced by mechanical modification of the surface of the page, thus creating deformations in hollow or in relief detectable by touch;

said authentication means consists of a diffractive element such as a hologram, or a pattern obtained by embossing and varnishing sets. Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the following description of certain preferred embodiments. This description will be made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a simplified perspective view of a first embodiment of a security document according to the state of the art.

Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining one of the usable ways of hiding non-visually detectable information within printed data.

Figure 3 is a top view of the information concealed in said data.

Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figure 1, showing alternative embodiments of the security document.

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of a detailed embodiment of a security document according to the present invention, the additional page it comprises being represented in two different positions. The present invention therefore relates to a security document in the form of a booklet. Throughout the present description, said security document will consist of a passport. This is just an example.

The passport that is shown in Figure 1 has a known structure.

This booklet 1 comprises two cover pages 10 and a set of sheets 2, 3, 4 and 5 which are folded and secured to said cover at a center line, so as to form a single unit, where the pages are rotated without being removed. Their method of assembly is preferably the seam.

One of these pages, in this case page 3 is a page of data on which are present data 30, called "personal", that is to say, specific to the holder of the passport. It is preferably coated with a transparent safety laminate. In the example shown here, these data 30 have the shape of a gray geometrical figure which for example symbolizes the photograph of the wearer, the latter being preferentially printed using computer means on page 3.

These data include at least one hidden information I that is not discernible to the naked eye.

In a different embodiment, the information I could be hidden not in the carrier's photograph, but in his identity information.

Furthermore, the passport comprises an additional page 6 which is integral with the booklet 1 and of which at least one area is translucent or transparent, in this area being incorporated at least one means 60 for revealing said hidden information I.

This means of revelation is implanted at the level of the additional page 6 so that by placing this page 6 against the data page 3, it is possible to read through said zone the hidden information I, this without any other device and / or input outside energy (s).

Said hidden information can be achieved by the so-called steganography technique. This technique consists in hiding a message in a set of data so that its presence is imperceptible to the naked eye. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, there is illustrated very schematically one of the techniques to achieve this. In this case, a datum 30 consists of a set of parallel lines 300 whose intermediate portion 301 is imperceptibly shifted upwards.

Thus, provided that this data is read through filtering means such as parallel lines whose frequency is identical to those of lines 300, it is possible to reveal hidden information of the type illustrated in FIG. here consists of a triangular pattern.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, the revealing means 60 is integrated within a window 600 placed inside the page 6. This window is formed of a plastic plate.

However, the whole of page 6 could be transparent or translucent.

The revelation means 60 may be chosen from the following means: an in-line screened network capable of revealing information I hidden by the so-called steganography technique;

- A dot matrix network, able to reveal information I hidden by the so-called steganography technique;

a polarizing filter containing chiral molecules or liquid crystals;

a color filter interfering with the color (s) with which said hidden information is formed.

In a preferred embodiment, said line array is printed, or made in relief, thus forming a lenticular array. Also according to another preferred embodiment, said dot-screen network is printed or perforated.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the same data page 3 comprises two hidden information items I and I 'concealed within personal data 30 and 30'. Moreover, the additional page 6 comprises two distinct means of revealing 60 and 60 ', one 60 being able to reveal the hidden information I hidden in the data 30, while the other is able to reveal information I' hidden in the data 30 '.

In such a case, the revelation means are preferably different. It is easily understandable that this multiplication of means makes the task of a possible counterfeiter particularly difficult.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, it further complicates the task of the fraudster. In this case, the information I and I 'are not carried by the same page, but by the two pages 3 and 5 which frame the additional page 6.

In addition, this information is present on the faces opposite said pages.

In a manner similar to the previous embodiment, the additional page 6 comprises two different means of disclosure, one, 60, being intended to reveal the image I, while the other, 60 ', is intended to reveal the image I '.

In Figures 6 and 7 is shown integrally an embodiment of the document according to the invention. It has a similar structure to that described with reference to Figure 1. It is a passport whose data page 3 comprises first data 30 here consisting in the reproduction of the photograph of the face of the wearer , and in seconds 30 'listing the name of the wearer, his date of birth and the date of validity of the passport.

This is only a simplified example given for a better readability of the figures, since the nature and the number of these data are precisely explained in the standards published by the ICAO (World Civil Aviation Organization).

These data are printed on page 3 according to techniques well known in the field of fiduciary printing. Inside the data 30 is integrated hidden information I not discernible to the naked eye which here consists of a repetition of the message "ORIGINAL FCO".

The additional page 6 is for its part integrally constituted by a transparent and flexible material, preferably of a polymeric nature such as polycarbonate. One of the characteristics of these polymeric materials is that they can be printed by the usual printing techniques such as offset, intaglio, flexography, screen printing or rotogravure.

Preferably, page 6 will have the characteristic of being able to receive embossed marks by intaglio printing with embossing dry stamp, embossing, stamping, hot or cold pressing or by any other technique to modify its surface by creating hollow deformation and reliefs.

Advantageously, another characteristic of this page is that it can be altered superficially or at heart, or even perforated completely with the aid of a laser beam.

In the latter case, and provided that the page 6 is formed at least partially of polycarbonate, polyester or polyvinyl chloride, then they will have been previously treated so as to have the surfactants or heart, sensitive to different wavelengths of laser radiation (infrared or ultraviolet).

In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, page 6 comprises a means 60 consisting of an embossing treatment, in order to constitute a lenticular-shaped network.

This means 60 is placed so as to overlap in part, preferentially in all, with the photograph of the referenced carrier 30.

As shown in FIG. 7, by plating page 6 against page 3, the means 60 reveals the hidden image I in the photograph according to the steganography method.

Provided that page 6 is flexible and flexible, by moving it vertically, the decoding effect of the information changes with an optical effect suggesting the relief.

Furthermore, the page 6 comprises an authentication means 7 which is preferably independent of the identity of the carrier, such as a means in relation to the issuing authority of the passport. This means is preferably made by embossing, to produce a secure mark in relief detectable to the touch such as a guilloche type geometric pattern, text and / or readable digits directly and / or microscopic (readable son count) or one or more latent images, with lines of lines arranged specifically in the manner of the known technique in soft printing. In an alternative embodiment, one can of course combine two or three of the above solutions.

In a preferred embodiment, this authentication means can resume for example a coat of arms with the coat of arms of the issuing country, micro lines and guilloches and at least one latent image. Thus, page 6 is secured and has an authentication mark. In accordance with the invention, page 6 comprises the reproduction 8 of information 30 and 30 'carried by page 3. This reproduction consists of photograph 81 and data 80 relating to the carrier. The latter are also recalled wholly or partially in microtext 82. This reproduction is preferably formed by surface or core alteration of the material on page 6, or even by complete perforation.

Thus, the superficial or heart damage can be obtained by laser marking type engraving, engraving with color change or color change alone. Complete (micro) perforation is similarly obtained by the laser (micro) perforation technique.

Thus, it is included in this embodiment a message hidden in the reproduction of the photograph of the passport holder. It is also definitively but mobile, like a normal page, an additional page capable of revealing the said message.

In addition, this additional page is authenticated by means 7.

Finally, said page is personalized by the data 80, 81 and 82 by a technique different from that used to implement the data page.

Thus, if a protective layer in place on the data page 3 were to be removed, any fraudulent attack on the portrait of the wearer, by inkjet reprint for example, that the latter is partial or total, would alter any or part of the hidden message, obviously when you put page 6 on top.

In addition, the portrait is repeated legibly, made to heart, on page 6, it will require, by another technique than inkjet printing to retouch this page also.

Those skilled in the art will therefore recognize that the authentication concealed in the first portrait, as well as its clear and visible repetition in a second location, makes the task of the falsifier much more difficult. Of course, in one embodiment not shown, the reproduction 8 could be limited to the reproduction of the information 30 which contains the hidden information I. Under these conditions and as indicated above, if the information 30 is modified, it is also necessary to modify the reproduction 8.

The meeting, on the same page, means to "decode" hidden information and reproduction, even partial, information related to carrier, make the use of the document simpler. On the contrary, this makes the task of a counterfeiter extremely complicated.

Claims

A security document in the form of a booklet (1), such as a passport, and comprising at least one page of data (3, 5) on which data (30, 30 ') "personal", ie specific to its holder, and at least part of which includes at least one hidden information (I, I ') not discernible to the naked eye or "hidden element", this booklet (1) having an additional page (6) which is integral with the latter and of which at least one zone is translucent or transparent, in this zone being incorporated at least one revealing means (60, 60 ') of said hidden information (I , I '), this additional page (6) allowing, by plating against said data page (3, 5), to read through said zone, said hidden information (I, I'), this without device and / or external energy supply (s), characterized in that said additional page (6) furthermore comprises information (8) reproducing at least s partially said personal data (30, 30 '), on one of its faces (on the back or on the front) or both sides, covering or not all or part of said revealing means (60, 60').

2. Security document according to claim 1, characterized in that said information (8) is formed using a laser beam, by surface or core alteration of said page (6), or by perforation or micro perforation of the latter.

3. Security document according to claim 1, characterized in that the information (8) is printed, in particular by laser printing or inkjet.

4. Security document according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said information (8) reproduce at least the portion of the personal data (30, 30 ') which integrates said hidden element.

5. Security document according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the entirety of the additional page (6) is transparent or translucent.

6. Security document according to claim 1 to 5, characterized in that said revealing means (60, 60 ') occupies all or part of the surface of said additional page (6).

7. Security document according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least two different means (60,60 ') of revelation are combined in the same location of said additional page (6) and are able to reveal at least two identical or different hidden information (I, I ') in the same area of the data page (3,5).

8. Security document according to one of claims 1 to 6, which comprises two pages of data (3, 5), whose personal data (30, 50) are on their faces opposite, characterized in that each of these pages (3, 5) incorporate at least one hidden information that can not be discerned by the naked eye (I, I ') and that said additional page (6) comprises at least two means of revealing (60, 60'), a first means (60) being adapted to reveal the hidden information (I) associated with one (3) of said pages when it is pressed against it, while the second means (60 ') is able to reveal the hidden information (V) associated with the other page (5) when it is pressed against it.

9. Security document according to claim 8, characterized in that said means for revealing (60, 60 ') are different.

10. Security document according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said revealing means (60, 60 ') is chosen from the following means:

a line-array (300) capable of revealing hidden information (I, I ') by the steganography technique; a dot-matrix network capable of revealing hidden information (I,

I ') by the steganography technique;

a polarizing filter containing chiral molecules or liquid crystals;

a color filter interfering with the color (s) with which said hidden information (I, I ') is formed.

11. Security document according to claim 10, characterized in that said network in line (300) is printed or made in relief, thus forming a lenticular network.

12. Security document according to claim 11, characterized in that said dot-screen network is printed or perforated.

13. Security document according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said additional page (6) further comprises at least one means of authentication and securing (7) independent of the identity of the wearer, and may or may not be related to the issuing authority.

14. Security document according to claim 12, characterized in that said authentication means (7) is produced by an impression, variable or fixed, on one of the faces (on the back or on the front) or on both sides of the additional page (6), and covers or not all or part of said revealing means (60,60 ').

15. Security document according to claim 12, characterized in that said authentication means (7) is made by mechanical modification of the surface of the page (6), thus creating deformations in hollow or in relief detectable to the touch .

16. Security document according to claim 12, characterized in that said authentication means (7) consists of a diffractive element such as a hologram, or a pattern obtained by embossing and varnishing sets.